The Bishop of Lichfield received the following written answer on 11th March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Lichfield asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the early release scheme on the Probation Service; and what additional support and funding they are providing to the Probation Service in connection with that scheme.
Continue reading “Bishop of Lichfield asks about impact of early release scheme on the Probation Service”The Bishop of Lichfield received the following written answer on 3rd March 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Lichfield asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to work with faith groups to support people being released from prison.
Continue reading “Bishop of Lichfield asks about support for faith groups working with prison leavers”On 21st January 2025, the Bishop of Lichfield asked a question on reducing rates of homelessness among prison-leavers:
The Lord Bishop of Lichfield: My Lords, according to data from the Ministry of Justice, the proportion of all prison leavers who were released homeless in 2023-24 was 13%. Considering that people are 50% more likely to re-offend if they are homeless, what steps are the Government taking to reduce rates of homelessness among prison leavers?
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The Bishop of Gloucester asked a question on the health needs of women in prison on 14th January 2025:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, women in prison have very specific health needs. Will the new women’s justice board look at ensuring that health and social care services across the women’s estate are consistently gender-specific and sensitive to women’s protected characteristics?
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The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answers on 16th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish the number of UK citizens in prison abroad as a matter of routine
Continue reading “Bishop of Gloucester asks about status of prisoners in the UK and overseas”The Bishop of Gloucester received the following written answer on 9th December 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester asked his Majesty’s Government:
On 15th November 2024, the Bishop of Gloucester spoke in support of the Imprisonment for Public Protection (Re-sentencing) Bill, a private members bill seeking to allow for resentencing of people currently serving IPP sentences, those recalled to prison, and those under IPP sentences on conditional release:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I add my voice in favour of the Bill, and say amen to all that I have heard. I declare an interest as the Anglican bishop for prisons in England and Wales. I an not going to repeat all that has been said regarding the shocking statistics that have already been outlined.
Like other noble Lords, I am glad that such sentences can no longer be given and that there have been some changes in the rules around the termination of licences, but those rules are complicated and not easy to navigate. That is particularly significant when it comes to offering hope and support not only to those serving their sentences but to families and friends as well.
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The Bishop of Gloucester tabled a question on the impact of the prisoner early release programme on probation services on 14th November 2024:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the prisoner early release scheme on probation services.
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The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 11th November 2024:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to tackle high levels of violence at HMP Bedford, following the Report on an independent review of progress at HMP Bedford, published on 22 October.
Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about violence at Bedford Prison”The Bishop of Sheffield spoke in a debate on prison capacity on 12th September 2024, highlighting the important role made by prison chaplains and the need for prison staff to be properly resourced and supported:
The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Burt, for enabling this debate and for the opportunity to speak in it. My right reverend friend the Bishop of Gloucester, lead Bishop for prisons, is unable to be here today. I know she wishes that she had been able to contribute. I share her interest in the welfare of prisoners and of those called to work in prisons, not least in the four prisons in my diocese in and around Doncaster.
Ministers have made plain their deep concern at the capacity problem in our prisons and have set out their plans to address it in both the short and longer term. I urge the Government to think deeply about the factors that have led us to this crisis and to respond creatively and boldly when considering the purpose of prison and the alternatives to custody. At their best, prisons are places of transformation. Every person supported to turn away from offending makes our country safer for everyone. But truly effective rehabilitation almost always takes place in a context of care and trust. It surely goes without saying that overcrowding in prisons is not conducive to a transformative culture.
Continue reading “Bishop of Sheffield highlights importance of prison staff and chaplains during debate on UK prison capacity”
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